I have been charged by my writing mentor to produce an outline of my novel – not a synopsis – for our next meeting scheduled for the last week of May. Let’s ignore the aggravating possibility that this discussion might have to take place courtesy of Skype or might be cancelled altogether. There are two … Continue reading Lock-In = Write Outline
You’d think that this lock-down would be the writer’s best friend. Hours and empty hours of time to think, perchance to dream and then to write. This isn’t happening in my life and I get the feeling that it’s not happening in other’s writing life either. When I’m not cooking with whatever we have, ie … Continue reading Writer’s Block in Lock-down
I thought I'd post a 'writing quickie' in the middle of the week. The Baby Box has been selling well but the market is slowing down. Which is a media phrase for 'need to make a bit more effort'. I've had many encouraging reviews but this one, sent by a writer colleague, is particularly welcoming. … Continue reading A Wednesday Post
My memoir The Baby Box was officially published yesterday. However, the book has been available since the end of January and I've been enjoying a busy time selling copies. Therefore I've already received emails, cards and telephone calls from readers with their, always encouraging, comments. Two questions about the book have repeatedly been asked: the … Continue reading The Baby Box a Memoir: Was I an only child?
In 1942 Winston Churchill said, ‘Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end…’ Which is just a flashy way to say that today is the beginning of the end of our Masterclass on the Short Story at Unthank School. This coming week will be our last. It has … Continue reading Reading Short Stories
I am over half-way through a writing course on the short story with @UnthankSchool. I'm enjoying it and facing new challenges. Which is good. Later, I intend to make a list of all the new things I have learned or read, the advice the tutor has given us and his recommendations for improving our writing. … Continue reading Writing Short Stories
Last week a teacher tweeted asking any writers for co-operation with a project she was leading on Notebooking. The idea that schools teach creative writing is a joy to me. We had the subject Essay Writing, which could have been interpreted as creative writing, although the words sound formal, discouraging to children. Creative Writing speaks … Continue reading Notebooking
Apologies for cribbing the contents of this post but my right hand is in a splint and typing is tricky. We have just enjoyed the Small Wonder Festival at Charleston, so-called because it is dedicated to short prose and fiction. This year, the sixth recipient of the only award to recognise long-standing creativity and achievement … Continue reading Small Wonder Festival at Charleston
Copenhagen gave birth to one of the most famous writers of fairy tales. Not children’s fairy tales you note, although it is children who generally read them. Or it used to be. Recently a newspaper article expressed the opinion that today’s children are less aware of harmful elements of growing up than the previous generation … Continue reading Two Danish Writers II: Hans Christian Anderson
The writer who gave us the book and the film of Out of Africa, Karen Blixen, lived in Kenya from 1914 until she returned to Denmark in 1931 to live in Rungstedlund, north of Copenhagen. When Karen Blixen (1885-1962) wrote Out of Africa in 1937, she had already completed her short story masterpiece Seven Gothic … Continue reading Two Danish Writers I: Karen Blixen
